Commission officials on leave top 550

SOME 556 European Commission officials are currently on official leave, the institution’s Vice-President Neil Kinnock has revealed.

European Voice

1/29/03, 5:00 PM CET

Updated 4/12/14, 8:36 AM CET

Responding to a request from an MEP, the EU executive has found that, of 400 contacted so far, 90% are studying or taking time off to spend with their families, while 10% are engaged in other professional activities. Checks are continuing in respect of the remainder.

Kinnock said that the Commission generally does not incur any costs when officials take advantage of a clause in the staff regulations which states that unpaid leave can be granted “in exceptional circumstances”, which he acknowledged are not defined.

While those officials are not benefiting from their Commission salary, Kinnock conceded that some could be receiving other perks.

Normally, officials on leave are suspended from the staff sickness and accident insurance scheme.

But in cases where officials cannot receive public insurance, they are entitled to remain part of the Commission scheme.

However, they must pay half of the contributions to it from their own pocket for the first year of absence and the full amount thereafter.

Kinnock contended that granting leave is fully consistent with moves to reform the Commission.

“Emphasis has been put on the need to enhance life-long learning by extending the possibilities of training measures inside and outside the institution,” he said, in response to the query by Austrian Socialist MEP Herbert Bösch.

EU civil service rules provide that officials on leave are appointed to the first vacancies fitting their qualifications once the agreed length of their absence expires.